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Previous Volume 340:722-728 March 4, 1999 Number 9 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

	Full Text Purchase this article Editorial by Rowe, J. W. Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited Related Article PubMed Citation

The demise of both the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988¹ and the 1993 Clinton plan for health care reform^2,3 resulted in missed opportunities to correct a glaring defect in the American health care system — inadequate coverage for costly prescription drugs among low-income elderly and disabled persons. Although sometimes misused, prescription drugs are effective treatments for many illnesses.^4,5 Most Medicare enrollees do not have adequate coverage for outpatient drug expenditures, since Medicare covers only drugs prescribed for inpatient use. Lack of coverage for outpatient drug expenditures is a formidable barrier to effective therapy. In this article, we describe the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

The Problem

Poverty and Lack of Coverage

Rising Costs and Poorer Access

Adverse Consequences

Current Proposals

A Feasible Solution

Standardized Eligibility

Shared Financing

Progressive Cost Sharing

Comprehensive Drug Formulary

Vigorous Control Mechanisms

Summary

References

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